About the Authors
Robert J. Lieblein, Managing Partner, Hales & Company
With over 25 years of experience, Mr. Lieblein has been involved in more than 150 mergers & acquisitions and is known as one of the industry’s leading financial advisors. He has written numerous articles for industry publications and is a frequent speaker for industry trade groups and associations. Mr. Lieblein is a Certified Public Accountant and spent 13 years with KMPG as a Senior Manager in the firm’s Financial Services practice. Rob also is the co-founder of Wharton Capital Partners, a private equity firm involved in starting and acquiring companies since 1997. Mr. Lieblein earned degrees in accounting, mathematics and computer science from Shippensburg University.
Audra M. Szollosy, Senior Vice President, Hales & Company
Ms. Szollosy has over 19 years of insurance and financial services experience. With Hales & Company for five years, Ms. Szollosy is recognized for her expertise in managing both buy- and sell-side transactions. Prior to joining Hales, Ms. Szollosy held various portfolio management, research, and client development positions with the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System, T. Rowe Price and several other financial institutions. Audra is a featured, monthly columnist in a leading insurance industry publication. She is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Accounting and holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Loyola College.
Daniel B. Price, Vice President, Hales & Company
Mr. Price has 8 years of merger & acquisition, financial consulting and valuation experience including five years with Hales & Company. Dan is recognized for his expertise in managing both buy- and sell-side transactions. He is a member of The National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts and holds the AVA designation. Mr. Price is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with degrees in Finance and Information Systems. He also holds an MBA with a concentration in Financial Management from Drexel University.
Meredith Sheinfeld, Associate, Hales & Company
Ms. Sheinfeld has over 7 years of financial analysis experience. Prior to joining Hales, Meredith was a Treasury Analyst with The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. where she specialized in financial modeling and acquisition forecasting and valuation. Ms. Sheinfeld holds an MBA from The Pennsylvania State University and also an undergraduate degree in Finance with a minor in Economics, graduating with High Distinction, from Penn State.
Special Contributing Authors
Scott Addis, President and CEO of The Addis Group and Addis Intellectual Capital, LLC (AIC)
AIC is a coaching and consulting company whose purpose is to transform the process that insurance agents, brokers and carriers use in serving their clients. Scott has particular expertise in helping agents and brokers with organic growth, profitability and agency value. Scott is recognized as an industry leader having been awarded the Inc Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” as well as the “25 Most Innovative Agents in America”.
Maureen Wall Bentley, Executive Vice President, Brand Strategy, Aartrijk Inc.
Aartrijk is a consulting firm consisting of brand strategists, designers, online gurus, marketing-communications experts and publishing professionals who work with agencies, brokers, carriers, associations and other insurance business partners to identify and enhance each element of a firm’s unique brand. Maureen has more than 20 years of branding, publishing and corporate communications experience. Since joining Aartrijk in 2002, Maureen has focused on brand and communications audits; brand strategy; advertising, Web and marketing creative; and public relations.
Steve Kloyda, President, The Prospecting Expert, Inc.
Steve is an industry leader working with producers teaching them how to effectively prospect using the telephone. He has made more than 250,000 telephone sales calls, listened to and analyzed more than 25,000 sales calls and facilitated more than 6,000 one-on-one coaching sessions. Applying the knowledge gathered, he created The Prospecting System, a process to identify and clearly articulate a unique message which will attract more prospects, clients and sales.
David Paul, Partner, ALIRT Insurance Research, LLC
ALIRT performs state of the art financial modeling of the financial performance trends of the property & casualty, health and life insurers versus their peers which is used by clients to meet their due diligence, competitive intelligence and financial performance benchmarking needs. David has over 15 years experience as an insurance industry research analyst and currently manages ALIRT’s research staff and is active in the industry as an author and public speaker.
We would like to give special thanks to Lisa Miller, our Office Manager, for all her assistance and contributions throughout the year and especially during the writing of this book. Thank You!
Rob Lieblein
717-541-9300 ext 101
Audra Szollosy
717-541-9300 ext 103
Dan Price
717-541-9300 ext 102
Meredith Sheinfeld
717-541-9300 ext 106
Scott Addis
610-945-1019
Maureen Wall Bentley
410-685-4440
Steve Kloyda
952-651-9011
David Paul
860-683-2070
Lisa Miller
717-541-9300 ext 100